Riverside Citywide Day of Service on Monday, Sept. 11, to Honor First Responders
Published: 09/07/2017
Contact:
Phil Pitchford
Communications Officer
951-826-5975
Riverside Citywide Day of Service on Monday, Sept. 11, to Honor First Responders
Annual event offers chance to remember 2001 attacks, take advantage of opportunities to serve
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Community members are invited to participate in a variety of community service projects on Monday as part of Riverside’s Citywide Day of Service, an annual event to remember the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks and honor our first responders.
“Riverside is a caring community, and this event shows that each year,” Mayor Rusty Bailey said. “The Day of Service is a great opportunity for our local government, our business community, our non-profit organizations and our residents to honor those we lost that day and thank our first responders for their work.”
The annual event kicks off at 8:30 a.m. in the Ronald O. Loveridge Plaza at City Hall with music from the UC Riverside Pipe Band, sponsored by Index Fresh. The ceremony begins at 9:11 a.m. with the presentation of the colors from the Riverside Police, Fire and AMR Honor Guard. Mayor Bailey will welcome attendees and vocalists from La Sierra University’s Music Department will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America.
First Responder Luncheons are scheduled at participating restaurants and food outlets around the city during the noon hour, hosted by City Council members Mike Gardner and Jim Perry as well as the planning committee: Kleinfelder, Bank of America, La Sierra University, American Red Cross, LifeStream, Alvord Unified School District, Riverside Unified School District, Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful, and Best, Best & Krieger.
A major part of the event is the service component. LifeStream will be set up at Riverside City Hall, 3900 Main Street, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at Riverside Public Utilities, 2911 Adams Street, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., so people can give blood. The American Red Cross will host a blood drive at Riverside Community Hospital, 4445 Magnolia Avenue, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org or LStream.org.
Other service opportunities include helping the American Red Cross install smoke alarms on Saturday (9/9) at the Rancho Caballero Mobile Home Park, 15181 Van Buren Blvd. in Riverside from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Volunteers are invited to attend a 7:30 a.m. training.
“This event mixes a somber remembrance with a joyful opportunity to give back to the community,” said Councilman Gardner, who sits on the organizing committee with Councilman Perry. “I encourage all residents of Riverside to get involved with this community event.”
Volunteer clean-up teams are encouraged to organize an hour of service with friends and co-workers, then connect with the event at RiversideCA.gov/SocialMedia and share photos with the hashtags #Riverside911DayofService and #ILoveRiverside.
The event will conclude at 6 p.m. with a closing ceremony at La Sierra University with musical performances by the university’s Music Department, the Alvord Unified School District and the King High School Band. Event partners and sponsors will be recognized, and the event will close with reflections on the day.
“From one side of Riverside to the other, the Day of Service brings out the best in our community,” Councilman Perry said. “We are very fortunate to have such caring residents and to have business partners like Kleinfelder and Bank of America that make all of this possible.”
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